IRS considers rescinding Harvard's tax-exempt status, something Trump floated

The IRS is considering whether to rescind Harvard University's tax-exempt status, 2 sources acquainted with the concern said. 

The petition to look into the anticipation was made by officials astatine the Treasury Department this week. Acting main counsel Andrew De Mello, who has been supportive of DOGE and was appointed to his relation successful March, received the request, 1 root said. 

A last determination has not yet been made, sources said. CNN archetypal reported the IRS' consideration. 

The country's oldest university, arsenic a 501(c)(3) organization, similar different acquisition institutions, is exempt from paying taxes. 

In a statement, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said that immoderate "forthcoming actions by the IRS volition beryllium conducted independently of the president." 

"Investigations into immoderate institution's violations of its taxation presumption were initiated anterior to the President's TRUTH," helium added, referencing Mr. Trump's post connected Tuesday that suggested Harvard "should suffer its Tax Exempt Status and beryllium Taxed arsenic a Political Entity."

"Remember, Tax Exempt Status is wholly contingent connected acting successful the PUBLIC INTEREST!" Mr. Trump wrote connected Truth Social connected Tuesday.

CBS News has reached retired to the Treasury Department and IRS for comment. 

A Harvard spokesperson said "there is nary ineligible ground to rescind Harvard's tax-exempt status."

"The authorities has agelong exempted universities from taxes successful bid to enactment their acquisition mission," the Harvard spokesperson said. "The taxation exemption means that much of each dollar tin spell toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing aesculapian research, and technological advancements that thrust economical growth."

Bloomberg News estimated that Harvard saves astir $500 cardinal a twelvemonth by being taxation exempt. 

This is the latest successful the spat betwixt Harvard and Mr. Trump. On March 31, the administration said it was reviewing astir $9 cardinal successful grants and contracts with Harvard "to guarantee the assemblage is successful compliance with national regulations, including its civilian rights responsibilities." The national authorities sent a missive connected April 11 to the assemblage that outlined a bid of conditions Harvard needed to conscionable to support a "financial relationship" with the national government. Harvard rejected those conditions, resulting successful the Trump medication announcing connected Tuesday that it would beryllium canceling "$2.2 cardinal successful multi-year grants and $60M successful multi-year declaration worth to Harvard University."

The IRS has seen galore changes successful the aboriginal months of Mr. Trump's term. The bureau is expected to spot steep cuts to its workforce successful the coming months, according to a memo of their Reduction successful Force program shared with CBS News. 

Melanie Krause, the erstwhile acting commissioner, resigned this period aft the IRS reached an statement with migration officials to stock taxation information of immigrants. 

Mr. Trump replaced Krause with Gary Shapley, who had been a whistleblower regarding alleged governmental power successful the Hunter Biden taxation investigation.